Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicholas Riley.
Hi Nicholas, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Driftwood Builders Roofing was started 20 years ago with a simple belief: do things the right way, even when it’s not the easy way.
From day one, we focused on craftsmanship, clear communication, and building real relationships instead of chasing quick volume. As more roofing companies were acquired by private equity firms, we made the intentional decision to stay locally owned and community focused. That choice continues to guide us in how we operate every day.
By delivering high-quality roof replacements, honest inspections, dependable service, and not upselling roof repairs into replacements, word spread. Those early customers turned into long-term partners and referrals, helping us grow into Austin’s most trusted roofing company.
Over the years, we’ve strengthened our systems and refined our processes, but our core hasn’t changed. We see roofing as more than shingles as protecting families, businesses, and long-term investments.
We’ve never aimed to be the biggest — just the highest quality and most trusted. And we’re still building that reputation one roof at a time.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a perfectly smooth road. Like any business that’s been around for 20 years, we’ve faced our share of challenges.
The roofing industry can be volatile — from major storm surges that strain capacity, to slower seasons that test discipline, to rising material costs and supply chain disruptions. We’ve also had to navigate increasing competition, including larger out-of-state companies entering the market with aggressive pricing models.
But the biggest challenge has probably been growth without compromising quality. It’s easy to scale quickly in roofing. It’s much harder to grow carefully while protecting your reputation. We’ve always chosen to prioritize long-term trust over short-term wins, even when that meant slower growth.
Every challenge forced us to refine our processes, strengthen our standards, and double down on who we are. Looking back, those difficult seasons shaped us just as much as the good ones did.
As you know, we’re big fans of Driftwood Builders Roofing. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Driftwood Builders Roofing is a locally owned roofing company serving Austin and the surrounding areas. We specialize in full roof replacements, storm restoration, insurance support and high-quality residential roofing systems. While we handle everything from inspections to insurance coordination, we’re best known for delivering a smooth, professional experience in an industry that doesn’t always have that reputation.
What sets us apart is three main things: 1) we have a long-term horizon, 2) we focus on one thing (roofing) and 3) we don’t accept a penny of our customers’ money until the job is completed and our customers are 100% satisfied with our work.
Long-term time horizon: In the roofing industry there are essentially 3 types of roofing companies. 1) Chuck in a truck storm chasers, 2) Roofing companies recently acquired by private equity firms (most of them in Austin) and 3) Family-owned businesses like us. We’ve been around for the last 20 years and will be around for the next 20 years, this long-term focus allows us to do the right thing for our customers.
I’ll give you an example: Oftentimes in roofing, a customers roof only needs to be repaired and not fully replaced. Roofers barely make any money at all on repairs, whereas ~90% of our money comes from full roof replacements. Oftentimes roofers are faced with an ethical dilemma when they inspect a roof, and it only needs to be repaired and not replaced.
When facing this situation, the Chuck in a truck storm chasers will always pressure their customers for a full roof replacement. Roofing companies owned by private equity firms (most of them in Austin) will also pressure customers to do a full roof replacement, because of how their business model works. I know a lot of people who work in private equity and they’re usually good people, but the private equity business model is to buy a business and then resell it ~5ish years later at a much higher price to give their investors an attractive return. Therefore, in these situations they typically pressure their customers for a full roof replacement as well.
However, since Driftwood Builders Roofing will be around for the next 20 years in these situations, we can do the right thing and only sell our customers a repair if that’s all that they need. This supports our customers by not selling them something they don’t need and helps us because years from now when that roof will need to be replaced, they will come back to us for the replacement. Chuck in a truck storm chasers and private equity owned roofing companies can’t afford to do the same thing because they won’t be around for the long run; we will 😊.
Brand-wise, we’re most proud of the trust we’ve built. A large percentage of our work comes from referrals, repeat clients, and long-standing local partnerships. That tells us we’re doing something right. Giving back to the Austin community is important to us. Right now, we’re helping an elderly blind woman in East Austin with improvements to her home, and projects like that remind us why we do what we do. Roofing is our business, but serving people is our purpose.
We want readers to know that roofing isn’t just a transaction to us. It’s protecting someone’s home, business, and investment. For the average American homeowner, roughly 60%–80% of their net worth is tied up in their home equity. The roof is the shield that protects that home, which is why we take our job very seriously.
Whether it’s a proactive inspection or a full replacement after a storm, we approach every project with the same mindset: do it right, communicate clearly, and stand behind our work long after the job is complete. At the end of the day, we’re not trying to be the biggest roofing company in Austin, just the best 😊.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Working with my dad.
Pricing:
- We are huge believers in Pricing and Transparency which is why we built a page on our website dedicated only to Pricing and Transparency and have an online pricing estimator as well
- We are not the cheapest roofer in Austin, but we are the highest quality and offer the best roofs in Austin at a very fair price
Contact Info:
- Website: https://driftwoodbuildersroofing.com/
- Instagram: driftwoodbuildersroofing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/driftwoodbuildersroofing/
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/driftwood-builders-roofing/
- Twitter: https://x.com/driftwoodbuild2
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@driftwoodbuilders2592
